U.S. patent application number 17/234862 was filed with the patent office on 2021-10-21 for respiratory mask and method of production.
The applicant listed for this patent is Sanko Tekstil Isletmeleri San. Ve Tic. A.S.. Invention is credited to Esin Kalfa KILICKAN, Fatih KONUKOGLU, Kenan LOYAN, Mahmut OZDEMIR, Erdogan Baris OZDEN, Ahmet OZKAN, Esref TUNCER, Omer YILMAZ.
Application Number | 20210322803 17/234862 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005609659 |
Filed Date | 2021-10-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210322803 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KONUKOGLU; Fatih ; et
al. |
October 21, 2021 |
RESPIRATORY MASK AND METHOD OF PRODUCTION
Abstract
A respiratory mask includes a mask fabric body made of a woven
fabric having weft yarns and warp yarns, said fabric yarns
comprising at least one yarn selected from yarns of a plastically
bendable material and elastic yarns or threads.
Inventors: |
KONUKOGLU; Fatih; (Inegol -
BURSA, TR) ; LOYAN; Kenan; (Inegol - BURSA, TR)
; TUNCER; Esref; (Inegol - BURSA, TR) ; OZKAN;
Ahmet; (Inegol - BURSA, TR) ; OZDEMIR; Mahmut;
(Inegol - BURSA, TR) ; OZDEN; Erdogan Baris;
(Inegol - BURSA, TR) ; KILICKAN; Esin Kalfa;
(Inegol - BURSA, TR) ; YILMAZ; Omer;
(Inegol-Bursa, TR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Sanko Tekstil Isletmeleri San. Ve Tic. A.S. |
Inegol - BURSA |
|
TR |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005609659 |
Appl. No.: |
17/234862 |
Filed: |
April 20, 2021 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41D 13/1161 20130101;
A62B 7/10 20130101; A41D 2500/20 20130101; A62B 18/084 20130101;
A62B 23/025 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A62B 23/02 20060101
A62B023/02; A41D 13/11 20060101 A41D013/11; A62B 7/10 20060101
A62B007/10; A62B 18/08 20060101 A62B018/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 20, 2020 |
EP |
20170451.7 |
Claims
1. A respiratory mask including a mask fabric body (1), a strip of
plastically bendable material (2) and holding straps (3, 6) for
holding the mask body to the face of a user, the mask body being
made of a woven fabric having weft yarns and warp yarns,
characterized in that at least one of said strip of plastically
bendable material and holding straps comprises at least one yarn
woven with said mask body fabric.
2. A mask according to claim 1, wherein said strip of bendable
material is made of at least one of metallic filament yarns
(m).
3. A mask according to claim 1, wherein said holding straps (3) are
made of at least one elastic thread (6) woven into the body of the
fabric during the weaving step.
4. A mask according to claim 3, wherein said elastic thread is
tightly woven at the region of the fabric that is close to the mask
sides (8, 9), said thread (6) having at least one long float over
warp or weft yarns in a central region of the mask fabric body
(1).
5. A mask according to claim 4, wherein said central portion of the
mask further comprises holding points (12) made by at least one
weft or warp yarn floating over said elastic thread (6) to hold it
to the fabric portion (1).
6. A mask according to claim 3, wherein said metallic and elastic
yarns are woven into the fabric as warp yarns.
7. A mask according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral sides (4) of
the mask are provided with fusion yarns.
8. A method of producing a mask according to claim 1, comprising
the steps of: providing a plurality of fabric yarns to produce a
woven fabric; and weaving warp and weft yarns, said warp or weft
yarns including at least one of a plastically bendable yarn and at
least one yarn including an elastic thread (6) to provide at least
one of a strip (2) of plastically bendable material for a nose clip
and a holding strap (3) for holding the mask body to the face of
the user.
9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the fabric on the loom
includes a plurality of facemasks that are cut after the fabric is
removed from the loom and has gone through finishing steps.
10. The method according to claim 8, wherein fusion yarns are woven
with the fabric yarns to provide fusion regions (4) along the sides
of the mask fabric (1).
11. The method according to claim 10, further including a heat
treatment step whereby low melting fusion yarns soften or melt to a
sufficient degree to hold together the ends of the yarns.
12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising finishing
steps including at least one of surface treatment, trimming,
folding, or gluing.
13. The method according to claim 8, wherein said mask further
comprises several long floats of said elastic threads on one side
of the mask and several holding points (12) made by at least one
weft or warp yarn floating over said elastic thread (6) to hold it
to the fabric portion (1), the method including the step of
breaking said holding yarns (12) to provide a long loop of the
elastic thread (6).
14. A mask according to claim 2, wherein said strip of bendable
material is made of a plurality of metallic filament yarns (m).
15. A mask according to claim 2, wherein said at least one-metallic
filament yarns (m) is coated with a resin.
16. A mask according to claim 4, said thread (6) having several
long floats over warp or weft yarns in a central region of the mask
fabric body (1).
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to respiratory masks and to a
method of their production. More specifically, the present
invention relates to a protection mask to be worn on the face. The
invention also relates to a method for the production of this
mask.
STATE OF THE ART
[0002] Personal respiratory masks, also known as "face masks" or
"filtering face masks", are protective devices used to protect the
wearer's respiratory system from airborne particles. Facial masks
are in fact worn over the nose and mouth of the user to protect him
from unwanted material suspended in the air. In some embodiments
(namely those without a valve that let breath exit the mask) the
mask also acts as a filter to prevent or reduce the leakage of any
particles suspended in the user's breath to protect other people
from possible infections of the person wearing mask. Known masks
are typically made of non-woven fabric in two forms: a cup-shaped
shape or a flat shape in which the non-woven fabric is partially
folded on itself to be able to adapt to the shape of the face when
worn. One type of flat mask is known as a "surgical mask". Flat
masks made of woven fabric are also known.
[0003] A mask requires the presence of straps or bands, preferably
of elastic material, which generally are in the form of loops that
pass around the user's ears or around the user's head to keep the
mask in the desired position on the user's face. The straps or
equivalent retaining means are typically made separately and are
attached to the body of the mask, by means such as sewing, gluing,
ultrasonic welding, stapling or other means commonly known to those
skilled in the art. Protective devices are also known in which the
retaining means are loops of elastic material attached to a folded
portion of the mask body.
[0004] The production of flat masks of the so-called surgical type
discussed above is normally carried out with automatic machines
that carry out in line all or almost all the necessary operations,
such as cutting and folding the portion of non-woven fabric,
welding or otherwise constraining the elastic straps that hold the
body of the mask on the user's face and attaching the metal strip
to the top side of the mask.
[0005] A face mask also requires the presence of a strip of
plastically bendable material, generally a metal strip, that is
located at the upper edge of the mask, i.e. at the side of the mask
that is transversally floating over the bridge of the nose of the
user when the mask is worn. This so-called "nose clip" may actually
be made of any material provided it can be easily bended in a shape
fitting to the bridge of the nose of the user to improve the air
tightness of the mask.
[0006] One problem with known non-woven masks is that they can
normally only be used only once and that they are difficult to be
sanitized. This problem results in an increase in costs each time
the mask is replaced, and in an increase in the mass of special
waste to be treated.
[0007] Woven fabric masks are known that can be washed or otherwise
sanitized to be used several times. However, woven fabric masks are
more expensive than the non-woven fabric masks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] An aim of the present invention is to solve the above
discussed problems. More specifically, an object of the present
invention is to provide a face protection mask which is made of
woven fabric and that is at the same time inexpensive to
manufacture. Another aim of the invention is to provide an
inexpensive method of production of a protection mask in woven
fabric.
[0009] These and other aims are reached by the present invention as
described below.
[0010] In greater detail, the invention relates to a respiratory
mask including a mask body, a strip of plastically bendable
material and holding straps for holding the mask body to the face
of the user, the mask body being made of a woven fabric having weft
yarns and warp yarns, characterized in that at least one of said
strip of plastically bendable material and holding straps comprises
at least one yarn woven with said mask body fabric.
[0011] In an embodiment, the strip of bendable material is made of
at least one, preferably a plurality of, metallic wire, a metallic
filament yarn or metallic staple yarn that are woven into the body
of the fabric in the weaving step of the mask production method.
Suitable metallic yarns are copper filaments or steel filaments
e.g. having diameter of 0.06 mm; in an embodiment of the yarn the
metal wire is coated with a resin, e.g. an epoxy resin, to prevent
metal oxidation and metal conductivity. The number of yarns or
wires can be between 1 to 25, preferably 1 to 10. The fabric weave
can be any one of plain, twill or sateen. The metallic wires extend
in the fabric along the entire side of the mask from one edge of
the mask body to the other edge.
[0012] In an embodiment, the holding straps are made of at least
one elastic thread woven into the body of the fabric during the
weaving step. Suitable elastic threads include braiding yarns,
woven yarns, knitting yarns or a single elastic yarn. A suitable
elastic thread has a composition of 85% elastane and 15% nylon, a
diameter of 3 mm and a linear mass of 0.8 grams/meter.
[0013] According to an embodiment, the elastic thread is tightly
woven, e.g. with a 1/1 or 2/1 pattern at the region of the fabric
that is close to the mask sides; this weaving pattern secures the
thread to the fabric. To provide for the strap or band required,
the elastic thread has at least one long float over warp (or weft)
yarns; several long floats may be provided, with holding point made
e.g. by one or two weft or warp yarns that float over the elastic
thread to hold it to the fabric portion. In an embodiment the
elastic thread floats over about e.g. 3-5 cm of fabric before being
held down by said weft or warp yarns; another float is provided
with another holding point and so on along the fabric. Before using
the mask, these holding yarns can be broken to detach the central
part of the elastic thread from the fabric body and provide a loop
of the required length to be passed over the ears or over the head
of the user.
[0014] Preferably the metallic yarns and the elastic threads are
both woven in the fabric. In an embodiment, metallic and elastic
yarns are woven into the fabric as warp yarns. They may be both
weft yarns or both warp yarns; in an embodiment, at least the
elastic thread is woven as a warp yarn. Generally, if the elastic
thread is to be passed over the ears, it is woven perpendicular to
the metallic yarns; if the elastic thread is to be passed over the
head, it is woven alongside the metallic yarns.
[0015] According to other embodiments, the sides of the mask may be
provided with fusion yarns, i.e. yarns that have the ability to
become softened, flattened or compressed and to hold together the
fabric yarns. Suitable fusion yarns can soften and be flattened or
compressed under heat, pressure or by a chemical treatment. In
addition, gluing and waxing can be applied to reduce hairiness at
the sides of the mask fabric. Suitable fusion yarns are low melting
nylon commercially available, e.g. from Coats under the code
Fusion-FTL2180. These yarns have a melting temperature of
85.degree. C.; upon treatment with e.g. hot steam the polymer
softens and melts to incorporate in the polymer the loose ends of
the yarns and prevent fabric fraying.
[0016] The body of the mask is made of a woven fabric. The fabric
yarns can include man made or natural fiber or a blend of them. The
fabric may include elastic yarns in warp or weft or both
directions; preferably the weft yarns are elastic yarns and the
warp yarns are non-elastic yarns, e.g. cotton yarns or polyester
yarns. In a preferred embodiment the fabric includes weft yarns
having different elasticity in different regions of the mask body,
so as to enable the face mask to adapt and fit to the wearer's
face. The weft yarns are woven according to a fabric construction
to improve fitting performance of the woven fabric. Exemplary
suitable fabric weaves can be any one of plain, twill or
sateen.
[0017] In embodiments, the cotton inelastic warp yarns have a count
of 30 to 45 Ne, the elastic weft yarns have a count of 25 to 40 Ne.
A typical fabric composition is 98% cotton and 1.68% elastan, the
remaining part including metal yarns and fusion yarns, if
present.
[0018] The invention woven face mask is manufactured by known
weaving machines, preferably jacquard and dobby machines. An object
of the present invention is a mask production method wherein a mask
fabric is woven from warp and weft yarns, characterized in that
said warp or weft yarns include at least one of: a yarn of
plastically bendable (malleable) material and a yarn including an
elastic thread that are woven with the fabric yarns to provide at
least one of: a strip of plastically bendable material for a nose
clip and holding straps for holding the mask body to the face of
the user.
[0019] In an embodiment, the method includes the steps of providing
a face mask design; providing a plurality of fabric yarns to
produce a woven fabric; providing a plurality of metallic yarn,
elastic threads to be introduced into the weaving machine and woven
with said fabric yarns in a single production process.
[0020] The fabric as obtained on the loom includes a plurality of
facemasks that are adjacent to each other in the fabric; they are
thus produced together in an amount that depends on the width of
the loom in the weaving machine and on the dimensions of the mask.
After the required finishing steps the fabric is cut into
individual masks, each mask being already provided with at least a
"nose clip" or with the elastic straps, or preferably with both
features.
[0021] According to an embodiment, fusion yarns are woven at the
edges of the mask body with the fabric yarns and the technical
yarns (i.e. metallic yarns and/or elastic thread) to provide a
finishing of the mask by heat treatment of the fabric. Thus, the
invention method may include a heat treatment step such as e.g. hot
steam treatment of the fabric.
[0022] The fabric is then cut to provide single masks that
advantageously are provided with all required items, including
elastic straps and a malleable (plastically bendable) material for
a nose clip. Subsequent finishing steps such as trimming, folding,
or gluing may be used to give the final form of the mask.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The invention will now be disclosed with reference to the
following schematic and exemplary, non-limiting drawings in
which:
[0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a mask according to the
invention;
[0025] FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the mask according to FIG. 1
showing enlarged details of possible weaving patterns;
[0026] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a section warpwise of the mask
of the invention;
[0027] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the back side of a mask of the
invention and
[0028] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the mask in use.
DISCLOSURE OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0029] With reference to FIG. 1, the mask M includes a mask body
made of a woven fabric 1 including warp yarns and weft yarns; in
FIG. 1 the warp yarns extend vertically, i.e. parallel to arrow F
that shows the machine direction or longitudinal direction of the
fabric. Mask M is obtainable from a woven fabric comprising a
plurality of adjacent masks as above discussed.
[0030] Woven with the fabric yarns are also present further yarns
that provide at least one of a strip 2 of plastically bendable
material forming a so-called "nose clip" and holding straps 3,
preferably elastic holding straps that pass around the head of the
user when the mask is used. According to the invention, the yarns
that form strip 2 and strap 3 are woven with the other fabric yarns
into the fabric of the mask during the weaving step. Said yarns
define respective portions, or regions, of the mask.
[0031] The yarns that form strip 2 of bendable material for the
nose clip may comprise a plurality of metallic wires, such as a
metallic filament yarn or metallic staple yarn that are woven into
the body of the fabric in the weaving step of the mask production
method. Suitable metallic yarns are copper filaments or steel
filaments having diameter of 0.06 mm, to prevent metal oxidation
the metal wire is preferably coated with a resin, such as an epoxy
resin. A suitable diameter is 0.05-0.10 mm, preferably 0.06 mm
including coating layer. The number of metal yarns or wires can be
between 1 to 25, preferably 1 to 10. As visible in the figures, the
strip 2 of metallic wires extend in the fabric along the entire
side of the mask from one edge 8 of the mask body to the other edge
9; similarly, the elastic thread will extend through the entire
body of the mask.
[0032] Holding straps 3 are made of at least one elastic thread 6
(see FIG. 3) woven into the body of the fabric during the weaving
step. In an embodiment, thread 6 is a single elastic yarn having a
composition of 85% elastane and 15% nylon, a diameter of 3 mm and a
linear mass of 0.8 grams/meter.
[0033] The weaving pattern of thread 6 is such that at the ends 10
and 11 (FIG. 3) of elastic thread 6, i.e. at the area of the fabric
that is close to sides 8 and 9 of the mask, the elastic thread is
tightly woven, e.g. with a 1/1 or 2/1 pattern. To provide for the
strap or band required, the elastic thread has at least one long
float under warp (or weft) yarns. The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is
provided with one long float; in FIG. 3 a thread 3 with several
long floats is shown. In this embodiment thread 3 is kept adherent
to the body of fabric 1 by means of several holding points 12 made
by one weft yarn that floats over the elastic thread to hold it to
the fabric portion at said holding point. The length L of thread 6
under portions, i.e. the length L of the portion of yarn 6 between
two adjacent holding points 12, may be about e.g. 3-5 cm of fabric.
As previously discussed, before using the mask, weft yarns at
holding points 12 are broken to detach the elastic yarn from the
fabric body and to provide a loop of the required length to be
passed over the head of the user, see FIG. 5.
[0034] In the shown embodiment, elastic yarns 6 are woven into the
fabric as warp yarns to provide an elastic strap or band to be
passed over the head; in this embodiment, one of the elastic yarns
6 is woven parallel to the metallic yarns of strip 2. The face of
the mask where the under portions of the elastic thread are located
is the side of the mask that will be in contact with the face of
the user (see FIG. 5).
[0035] Advantageously, fusion yarns are provided along the sides of
the mask in the peripheral, i.e. in the contour portion 4 of the
mask (see FIGS. 1 and 2); fusion yarns are yarns that have the
ability of becoming softened and to be flattened or compressed to
hold together the fabric yarns at the edge of the fabric to prevent
loose ends being visible. Suitable fusion yarns can be softened and
flattened or compressed under heat, pressure or by a chemical
treatment. Suitable fusion yarns are low melting nylon commercially
available, e.g. from Coats under the code Fusion-FTL2 180. These
yarns have a melting temperature of 85.degree. C.
[0036] The mask construction also preferably includes two warp-wise
portions, or regions 5, of so called limiting yarns, e.g. polyester
yarns that define the body of the mask between the mask body yarns
or the metallic or elastic yarns and the peripherally located
fusion yarns of mask region 4.
[0037] The body 1 of the mask is made of a woven fabric from yarns
that may include man made or natural fibers or a blend of them. The
fabric may include elastic yarns in warp or weft or both
directions; according to one embodiment the weft yarns are elastic
yarns and the warp yarns are non-elastic yarns, e.g. cotton yarns
or polyester yarns. Preferably the weft yarns have different
elasticity in different regions of the mask body; namely, the weft
yarns closer to sides 8 and 9 have less elongation than the yarns
in the central area of the mask, so as to enable the face mask to
adapt and fit to the wearer's face. Suitable fabric weaves for the
mask body 1 can be any one of plain, twill or sateen.
[0038] Typically, the cotton inelastic warp yarns have a count of
30 to 45 Ne, the elastic weft yarns have a count of 25 to 40 Ne. A
typical fabric composition is 98% cotton and 1.68% elastan, the
remaining part including metal yarns and fusion yarns, if present.
The count and the warp and weft densities (after washing) are
selected to provide the fabric 1 with the required filtering
properties; said filtering properties may be assessed according to
standard EN 14683:2019.
[0039] The schematic and merely exemplary weave report of FIG. 2
shows the above mentioned regions of the mask fabric; for each
region of the fabric an enlarged sample of construction is shown,
to provide details of a possible embodiment of the invention. In a
mask of the present invention, each of the portions shown in FIG. 1
may be woven according to patterns different from the ones shown in
FIG. 2; in other words, the exemplified patterns do not necessarily
have to be present all together as shown in FIG. 2.
[0040] In the following exemplary description, the mask body
portion 1 is woven by cotton weft yarn and cotton warp yarn. The
weft yarn is shown in FIG. 2 with white whereas the warp yarn is
shown with black in the weaving pattern.
[0041] Portion 4 of the mask comprises fusion yarns. In an
embodiment, the part of portion 4 that extends in warp direction,
i.e. parallel to arrow F, is referred to with numeral reference 4a
and has a weaving scheme where the weft yarn is a cotton yarn
(shown with white) and the warp yarn is a fusion yarn (shown with a
grey pattern). In the part of region 4 extending in the weft
direction (shown with reference 4b), the fusion yarns are weft
yarns shown in white and the warp yarns shown in grey pattern are
cotton yarns. Region 3 shown in FIG. 2 is woven by a cotton weft
yarn shown with white in the pattern and an elastic warp yarn shown
with grey. The elastic yarn is located on the back side of the
fabric as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. Examples of weaving reports
of top part, middle part and bottom part of region 3 are shown in
FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c, respectively.
[0042] In mask portion 5, the weft yarn is a cotton yarn shown with
white in the weaving pattern whereas the warp yarns are "limiting"
yarns (e.g. in polyester) and are shown with grey pattern. In
portion 5a where regions 4 and 5 overlap, the weft yarns are fusion
yarns shown in white and the warp yarns are polyester yarns as
shown in region 5.
[0043] Mask portions 2 and 2a comprise at least one metallic warp
yarn (referred to with reference m), white weft yarns and black
warp yarns. The overlapping area of regions 2 and 4 is identified
with reference number 2a. For example portion 2a shows a possible
weave of the overlapping regions 2 and 4. In detail, the weaving
pattern of portion 2 includes a cotton weft yarn (in white) and two
different warp yarns formed by a cotton yarn (in black) and a
metallic warp yarn (m). The weaving pattern of region 2a is formed
by a fusion weft yarn (white) and by two different warp yarns which
are a cotton yarn (in grey) and the metallic yarn (m).
[0044] The width of each region is designed according to the
specific requirement of the mask, which means that the number of
the weaving patterns shown in FIG. 2 may be chosen to provide the
best advantageous effects of the present invention. For example,
weftwise fusion region 4b may include seven weft yarns as shown in
4b or might include more or less weft yarns.
[0045] The method of producing the above discussed mask provides
weaving warp and weft yarns, said warp or weft yarns including at
least one of a yarn of plastically bendable yarns and at least one
yarn including an elastic thread 6. Said yarns are woven with the
fabric yarns to provide at least one of a strip 2 of plastically
bendable (malleable) material and a pair of holding straps 3 for
holding the mask body to the face of the user.
[0046] The method may also include the steps of providing a
facemask design; providing a plurality of fabric yarns to produce a
woven fabric; providing a plurality of metallic yarn, elastic
threads to be introduced into the weaving machine and woven with
said fabric yarns in a single production process.
[0047] The fabric on the loom is made to include a plurality of
face masks that are all produced together depending on the width of
the loom in the weaving machine and on the dimensions of the
mask.
[0048] Fusion yarns are woven with the fabric yarns and the
technical yarns (metallic yarns and/or elastic thread) to provide
peripheral region 4 along the sides of the mask fabric 1. The
fabric is subjected to a finishing step by a heat treatment step
such as e.g. hot steam treatment of the fabric. In this step the
low melting fusion yarns soften or melt to a sufficient degree to
hold together the ends of the yarns and avoid fabric fraying.
Surface treatment of the fabric may be carried out.
[0049] The fabric is then cut to provide single masks that comprise
all required items, including elastic straps and a malleable
(plastically bendable) material for a nose clip. Subsequent
finishing steps such as trimming, folding, or gluing may be used to
give the final form of the mask.
* * * * *